composite guru

Cheers Gad,
I think the Elise will be plenty fast enough for me.
I do plan to do some frack days but the main use will be on the road.

unclefester

they will be cracking fun ......

MB

Yep tricky dilemma, but I think as Gad says it depends if you track things or not. If so the V6, but imo for road use I'd go for the Elise.... would be a mental struggle to not try and justify the big V6 though

cheshire_carper

All of them are great and would wholeheartedly advise any for fun/weekend use. The only reason people like me end up in the v6 is because it's progression in the brand, something to spend your money on, the type of people we are. None of them are 'better' than the other in my opinion. Just different. I had as much fun in my first Elise as I do in the v6.

Nick Graves

Since I vacillate between an S2000 and an NSX, the most obvious answer would be an Elise Sprint and an Evora, I suppose.

Hopefully, Geely's money will allow Lotus to blossom.

cheshire_carper

I like what you did with blossom​

But I fear what may happen....if it goes abroad and loses the core values it could be a disaster. Fingers crossed they do a Tata with it and make it as is but better.

Nick Graves

Geely has made some hilarious lip-off British fakes in its time and has been regarded as good for Volvo/London Taxi. Which will use a Volvo powertrain in future.

The alternative buyer for Proton/Lotus was PSA, which was not so good for Chrysler UK. Or anything come to that...

m1bjr

There was an exact copy of CG's new toxic toy at Combe on Friday.
Had a very long chat with the new owner and his lad.
Seems they ironed out all the rattles too
That carbon kit and diffuser is the nuts !

m1bjr

So I got a good few miles in at Castle Combe on Friday, as mentioned.
Was quite nippy lapping around 1:23 in traffic - never got a clean lap unfortunately - so somewhat quicker than anything else I have owned.
Only let a couple past whilst warming it up, and lapped quite a lot of stuff inside six laps - pretty impressive little weapon the SC Elise.

I still need a total recalibration of style however, this is one car that needs a high entry speed and a large dose of balls and trail-braking to get it in.
Surprisingly easy to over-brake them on approach, and then coast or make up speed approaching apex with the resulting understeer ruining everything.
I kept doing this again and again - proper numpty!
Its that bad front engine habit I have and its proving hard to shake.
Approaching most corners you are up someone's chuff usually - like at Quarry where things stack up fast.
That makes it a pain to throw it in fast enough. Its pretty special how agile these things are at this point.
Its the first car I have driven on a circuit and not thought I got the best from it - soooo much more in that package that requires more practise.
Bloody love it. Rattles, loud, bit cheap, but it all makes sense on the circuit....

MB

Best way to break that habit Steve is take a more direct line into an apex as it will force you to brake into the corner.